There’s growing support for decriminalizing the possession of a small amounts of marijuana in New Hampshire. WMUR's Adam Sexton reports.

There’s growing support for decriminalizing the possession of a small amounts of marijuana in New Hampshire. WMUR's Adam Sexton reports.

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Updated: 11:27 PM EDT Mar 11, 2015

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WEBVTT SOMETHING LIKE A SPEEDING TICKET. OUR ADAM SEXTON JOINS US LIVE NOW WITH REACTION TO THE VOTE. SIX TIMES NOW IN ITS HISTORY THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE HAS VOTED TO DECRIMINALIZE SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA. BUT NEVER BY SUCH A LAB SLIDE MARGIN. SUPPORTERS SAY IT A REFLECTION OF A MAJOR CHANGE ON WHAT USED TO BE A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE. SUPPORT FOR DECRIMINALIZING THE POSSESSION OF SMALL AMOUNTINGS OF MARIJUANA IS REACHING NEW HEIGHTS IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE. ON WEDNESDAY, TALLYING JUST UNDER 300 VOTES. IT'S AMAZING, I THINK IT'S A CLEAR SIGN THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE IS READY TO MOVE BEYOND PUTTING PEOPLE IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY HAVE SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA. LAST YEAR THE HOUSE PASSED A SIMILAR BILL MAKING POSSESSION OF AN OUNCE OR LESS A VIOLATION LEVEL OFFENSE. THIS YEAR'S VERSION IS MORE CONSERVATIVE, TAKING THE THRESHOLD DOWN TO HALF AN OUNCE. IT ALSO MAKES CULTIVATING SIX OR FEWER MARIJUANA PLANS A MISDEMEANOR. THAT APPROACH IS BEING CREDITED WITH CUTTING FURTHER INTO HARD LINE OPPOSITION. HE'S BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR 43 YEARS, EVEN HE IS OPEN TO CHANGING THE LAW BUT THINKS THE CURRENT BILL GOES TOO FAR. I'M NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST DECRIMINALIZATION OF A SMALL QUANTITY OF MARIJUANA. I THINK THE QUANTITY IS TOO BIG. I WOULD PREFER SOMETHING SMALLER. THE BILL STILL FACES LONG ODDS IN THE STATE SENATE. BUT COSPONSORS SAY MOMENTUM IS ON THEIR SIDE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. WE HAD HAD OVER 80% OF THE VOTE IN THE HOUSE AND THE NUMBERS AT HOME SHOW SOMETHING SIMILAR. JEB BRADLEY SAYS THERE MAY BE ROOM TO NEGOTIATE. I THINK THERE'S SOME ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WHILE ALSO ENSURING OUR KIDS AREN'T JUST ENDING UP WITH A FELONY CONVICTION FOR A FIRST OFFENSE. CURRENTLY POSSESSION OF ANY AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA IS A MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY UP TO ONE YEAR IN PRISON AND A FINE OF UP TO $2,000. EVERY OTHER STATE IN NEW ENGLAND HAS TAKEN STEPS TO REDUCE PENALTIES RELATED TO CANNABIS

NH House votes to decriminalize small amounts of pot

There’s growing support for decriminalizing the possession of a small amounts of marijuana in New Hampshire. WMUR's Adam Sexton reports.